


My Heart is on fire

by TotallyRadioactive15



Category: North and South (UK TV), North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell | UK TV
Genre: Alternative Scene, F/M, Falling In Love, Jealousy, Romance, Victorian, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 14:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7319896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyRadioactive15/pseuds/TotallyRadioactive15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having regretted her decision of turning Mr. Thornton's marriage proposal down, Margaret is hurt when she sees him and Miss Latimer in the street.. <br/>A follow on Alternative to that scene in Margaret's POV</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Heart is on fire

I tried to avoid Mr. Bells call from across the street seeing that he had also stopped Mr. Thornton and another pretty young women, but to do so would have been un polite of me.  
I slowly walked across the busy street, making sure not to get in the way of any passing carts of carriages and onto the pavement finally standing besides Mr. Thornton. I tried not to look at the man but failing, as he looked down at me and our eyes briefly meet. I sucked in a breath and then looked back to the floor. 

'What luck two of the prettiest girls in Milton' Mr. Bells voice brought be out of my trance. 

'You remember the Latimers Miss Margret?' he asked 'My banker' he said and I nodded at an older gentleman who nodded back just as quickly  
'Therefore a very important man' he added 'And this is Ann Recently back from Switzerland' he said.

Ann leant towards me and held out her hand which I took and shook, although neither of us seemed very pleased of this meeting. I could not help but look at her in her fine clothes and bonnet, I wondered my Mr. Thornton has or did have feelings for me and I could never be what she was.

'Now where are you off to my dear?' Mr. Bell asked once I had been introduced to the group. I looked around, unsure of whether I should reveal that I was on my way to visit the Higgins, I quickly decided against it and replied 'Nowhere' 

'Oh its alright you can have your little secrets' he replied 'All young women should have there secrets hmm' he continued which made Mr. Thornton look up from where he stood and across to Mr. Bell. 'Isn't that one of the joys of life' he finished looking directly at Mr. Thornton and then down to both me and Miss Latimer. 

'I wouldn't know... Good Day' Mr. Thornton said bluntly, he nodded his head and looked around and down at me, giving me a stern look before escorting Miss Ann Latimer away. I could not decide whether I imagined it or not but I could have sworn Miss Latimer had turned and smiled at me, almost to say 'You lost him and now he's mine' as I watched her grip hold of his arm as they walked along the street. 

 

My heart suddenly felt like it was being ripped out of my body. I had lost myself in my thoughts and only regained my posture as I heard Mr. Latimer say something 'What was the point of paying for an education when he had to pay for a wedding when they where back'. 

So they where getting married...No wonder she smiled at me, knowing she had won what I had lost. My mind and body where suddenly on fire and I felt once more that my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I Don't know why I felt like this after all it was only the other day I had turned him down...My mind wondered if I had made the right decision and at that moment my heart knew I had and I struggled to breath as my corset constricted my airways. 'What had I done, Had I lost him for good?' 

'Miss Margaret... Miss Margaret are you quiet well?' I could vaguely hear Mr. Bell ask, I tried to walk but I started to feel a dizzy spell come on and I clung on to the railings behind us for support. 

'Thornton!' I heard Mr. Bell yell as he took hold of my hands to keep me steady. 'Can't breath' I think I mumbled not really aware of what was around me.   
'Miss Hale?' a mans voice asked, I knew instantly who that man was but thought I must be dreaming as why would he come to my aid? Why would she let him come to my aid? 

I had another dizzy spell and found someone holding me upright. 'Miss Hale... Can you hear me?' Mr. Thornton said in a panicked voice 'Margaret' I whispered suddenly unsure why he was calling me Miss Hale, Margaret was my name. 

'We need to loosen her Corset, she can't breath' Somebody said over the top of me 'We cannot do it here... in the street..' another man said 

'I'll take her home.. My mother, sister will know what to do' 

'Be quick.. she is already wavering and look after her' 

'You have my word' 

That was the last I heard and saw of the street in front of me. I woke up in a strange house and bed. It was only when I took a proper look around my surroundings did I realise where I was. 

'Mr. Thornton?' I asked pulling myself up so I was in a seating position knowing he was the last person my mind remembered seeing.   
I was vaguely aware that I was no longer in my dress, instead I was solely in my shift. 

I looked around again and saw a young girl, the maid holding a pile of sheets and carefully approaching me.   
'Mr. Thornton is not here... However you are in his house... I shall go and fetch Mrs Thornton' the maid said and curtseyed quickly before turning and walking out of the room. 

The room, I wondered what room I was in. I looked around and noticed the four poster bed I was in, the room was quite dark and had a strong smell of wood. A Thought crossed my mind that I could be in Mr. Thornton's room. I could not remember how many rooms they had, but I knew this could not be Fanny's room it was far to neat and simple, I could imagine Fanny's room looking like a room from my aunts house in London only not as tidy, but full of new inventions and fashions. This room felt very masculine so therefore unless it was a guest room I was laying in Mr. Thornton's bed, and part of me quite liked the idea. 

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Hannah Thornton entered the room carrying a tray. 

'Miss Hale, You look better.. How are you feeling? You gave John such a fright' she sat setting the tray on the bedside table and walking around the room to open the curtains, letting some light into the dark room. 'John?' I asked suddenly realising that John was Mr. Thornton. I'd never heard someone refer to him as John before it was always very formal.

'Where is he.. John.. Sorry Mr. Thornton?' I asked correcting myself.   
'I owe him a thank you for bringing me here' I told her as she rounded the bed. 

'Mr. Thornton is waiting outside.. but under no circumstances is he to enter in here with you in your current state of undress, you can thank him when you've eaten and dressed and the doctor has given you the all clear' she told me with authority.  
I nodded, to nervous to do or say anything else, and let them look after me. 

It took a while for me to eat as I did not feel very hungry but with Hannah Thornton loitering besides me I thought I was best to try at least. The doctor had been called and it was only after he had said I was okay was I aloud to get dressed again, I wondered if Mr. Thornton was still waiting outside after all I had been some time and he probably had important business to attend to.

I had been sitting on the end of the bed finishing putting my shoes back on when the door opened. I expected it to be Hannah again or even on of the servants, but instead it was Mr. Thornton. 

My heart leaped as I knew he had been waiting to make sure I was okay but I still felt an un easiness at the thought of him with that other women... maybe he had just waited out of common decently, maybe my rejection had changed his feelings towards me and he was happy with Miss Latimer. 

'Miss Hale?' he asked pushing the door closed behind him as he walked into the room and ended up sitting besides me. 

'Margaret... Call me Margaret' I whispered quietly as I looked up at him. He seemed softer, maybe it was his clothes. He wasn't wearing his cravat and his shirt was open given me a view of the creamy skin of his neck, the waistcoat was also gone as was the black over coat. 'I was so worried' he admitted his hands rolling around together in his lap as if he was nervous. 

'Thank you for your help, and for bringing me here, I hope I did not ruin your plans with Miss Latimer?' I asked even though my heart was screaming at me not too.   
'No Not at all' he replied 

'I suppose you are going to announce it soon... Your wedding' I asked not knowing what had possessed me to ask that question, knowing that I did not want to know the answer. 

'Wedding? What wedding?' he asked bringing his head up from where he had been looking at the floor and was now looking straight at me, his icy blue eyes looking onto mine giving me shivers down my spine. 

'To Miss Latimer... Her father was talking about it earlier today' I said trying not to sound to upset   
He sighed and after some hesitation he replied. 

'I'm not marrying Miss Latimer' he said quietly, I looked at him in disbelieve 'But... your not?' I asked, unsure I heard him correctly 

'I can assure you Myself and Miss Latimer are not engaged and will not be any time in the future... She is all but a close family friend. She has been away in Switzerland for some time and needed a guide and chaperone around Milton, Fanny had agreed but you know what Fanny's like with keeping arrangements' He said laughing to himself at his last sentence. 

'So your not Marrying her?' I asked again confirming what he had said to me. 'No I am not...' He said 

My heart flipped and fluttered with the news and I gave him a bright smile. 'That's wonderful!' I said not realising I had said it out loud until Mr. Thornton turned his whole body around.  
'Is it?' he asked   
I brought my hand to my mouth realising what I had said, I thought he might be angry as only the other day did I turn him down, however he was smiling sweetly at me.   
'I think It might just be' I whispered back . 

I looked down to see his hand gently holding mine and I felt my heart squeeze once more.   
'Could I escort you home Miss Hale... Margaret?' he asked standing but still holding my hand. 

'I Would like that Mr. Thornton' I said and got to my own feet. 'Its John' he said as he gently pulled me into his side.   
'John' I whispered 

We walked back to my house, my hand firmly gripping Johns arm as we enjoyed the warmth of the end of the day, and I knew there would be many more walks together. 

 

My heart was on fire and this time it was for a good reason. I was in Love.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own John Thornton or any of the other characters/locations used here, nor do I own the dialogue used at the beginning. All Rights go to Elizabeth Gaskell and the BBC


End file.
